Welcome to Conservation

Biology (Con Bio) 2005

website
webpage1
webpage2
What is Conservation Biology?
An overview
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
Declining Biodiversity Examples
• Steller’s Sea Cow
• Lived in Bering Strait
(Alaska)
• Grew to 35 feet long,
3.5 tons
• Slow-moving, docile
• Hunted to extinction by
1768, less than 30 years
after it was discovered.
 Declining Biodiversity Examples
• Bachman’s Warbler
• Neotropical migrant
• Bred in southeastern US
• Wintered in Cuban
tropical forests
• Deforestation in Cuba for
cane fields caused major
decline in numbers
• Last seen 1989.
Print by Audubon
 Declining Biodiversity Examples
• Franklin tree
• Altamaha River, Georgia
• Last seen in wild: 1803
• Maintained in
gardens/arboreta.

Print by Audubon
Declining Biodiversity Examples
• Only parrot native to
Eastern US
• Lived in large flocks in the
SE US
• Foraged on grains/fruits
• Declared a pest: killed in the
thousands by hunters and
farmers
• Affected by deforestation as
well
• Extinct by 1920.

Carolina Parakeet
Declining Biodiversity Examples
• Abundant bird in eastern
US (Canada to Gulf)
• Flocks of billions of birds
described (darkened sky)
• Hunted heavily in 1800s
• Forests destroyed
• Extinct by 1914.

Passenger Pigeon
 Declining Biodiversity Examples

• Xerces Blue Butterfly

• Inhabited sand dunes near San Francisco, CA

• First North American butterfly to become extinct due to
human disturbance
• Habitat destruction as city developed was main probable
cause.
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
• Disruption of ecosystem functions
Ecosystem Disruption: The Gulf
of Mexico “Dead Zone”
• Runoff from agricultural fields fertilizers
(and other sources) in Mississippi drainage
contains nutrients
• Excessive nutrients delivered by Mississippi
River to Gulf cause algal bloom
• Dead algae die, sink, decompose.
The Gulf of Mexico
“Dead Zone”
• Oxygen levels drop
(hypoxia: low oxygen)
• Aerobic sea life (fish,
shrimp, crabs, etc.) dies
• Bottom area affected is
size of New Jersey
(7,700 sq miles).
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
• Disruption of ecosystem functions
• Climate change
 Example: Bobolink
• Breeds in
summer in
Northern US
and Canada
• Migrates to
Argentina in
winter.
Climate Change and Species
Distributions
Climate
Envelope: Area
of suitable
climatic
conditions for a
species

Will shift as
global climate
changes.
 Special Risk: “Island” species
• Ex, Alpine “Islands”

Orange is range of
high-elevation species

Lower climate limit

 Special Risk: “Island” species
• Ex, Alpine “Islands”

New lower limit after

Extinct population climate change
Lower climate limit
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
• Disruption of ecosystem functions
• Climate change
• Invasive species
Example: Brown Tree Snake
• Accidentally introduced to
Guam (between 1945 and
1952)
Example: Brown Tree Snake
• Accidentally introduced to
Guam (between 1945 and
1952)
• Snake population exploded
• Extirpated by predation most
native forest vertebrates
• Shorted power grids
• Human hazard of snake bite
(mildly venomous: danger to
small children).
Example: Purple Loosestrife
Wetland species

Introduced from Eurasia in

early 1800s to northern US

Since 1930s, has

aggressively expanded
range westward and
crowded out other wetland
species.
 Example: Purple Loosestrife

• Change from 1968 to 1978. Loosestrife crowds

out other wetland plants (central NY).
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
• Disruption of ecosystem functions
• Climate change
• Invasive species
• Overharvest of commercial species
Overharvest of Atlantic Cod
• Grand Banks Fishery off
Newfoundland in North
Atlantic
• Overfishing and
environmental fluctuation
caused major population
crash
• Harvest declined from
800,000 tons in 1968 to
140,000 tons in 1978
• Area closed to fishing in
1992
• May never re-open.
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
• Disruption of ecosystem functions
• Climate change
• Invasive species
• Overharvest of commercial species
• Pollution impacts on species/ecosystems
 Pollution
• May not be visible
• Biomagnification may occur: concentration of
pollutant increases up food chain
• Ex, DDT.
 Pollution
• Ex, DDT
biomagnification
 Pollution
• Ex, DDT
• Caused eggshells to break, nest success dropped
• Exs, bald eagle, peregrine falcon.

Bald Eagle

Peregrine falcon
 Pollution
• Ex, DDT
• Bald eagle became federally threatened,
peregrine falcon endangered
• DDT use banned in U.S.
• Recovery efforts have resulted in de-listing of
peregrine falcon, proposed de-listing of eagle.
 Pollution
• Lesson, don’t trust advertising…. (Time Magazine,
1947).
 “Crisis Discipline”
Response to:
• Biodiversity loss
• Disruption of ecosystem functions
• Climate change
• Invasive species
• Overharvest of commercial species
• Pollution impacts on species/ecosystems
• And, #1………..Human population growth!
Human Population Growth

QuickTime™ and a
GIF decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

movie
3 Goals of Conservation Biology
• Document biological diversity on Earth
3 Goals of Conservation Biology
• Document biological diversity on Earth
• Investigate human impacts on species,
communities, and ecosystems
3 Goals of Conservation Biology
• Document biological diversity on Earth
• Investigate human impacts on species,
communities, and ecosystems
• Develop ways to prevent extinction,
maintain genetic diversity, and protect or
restore communities and ecosystems.
 The New Field of Conservation
Biology
• Resource Mgt. • Conservation Biol.

Field Experience
• Agriculture • Ecology
• • Genetics
Fisheries
• Evolutionary
• Forestry biology
• Wildlife Mgt. New Ideas &
Approaches • Taxonomy
• Park mgt. • Environmental
Studies
• Anthropology
 ConBio’s 5 Ethical Principles
• Preserve diversity of species/communities
 ConBio’s 5 Ethical Principles
• Preserve diversity of species/communities
• Prevent extinction of populations/species
 ConBio’s 5 Ethical Principles
• Preserve diversity of species/communities
• Prevent extinction of populations/species
• Maintain ecological complexity
 ConBio’s 5 Ethical Principles
• Preserve diversity of species/communities
• Prevent extinction of populations/species
• Maintain ecological complexity
• Allow evolution to continue
 ConBio’s 5 Ethical Principles
• Preserve diversity of species/communities
• Prevent extinction of populations/species
• Maintain ecological complexity
• Allow evolution to continue
• Recognize the intrinsic value of biological
diversity.
 ConBio’s 5 Ethical Principles
• Recognize the intrinsic value
of biological diversity…...
Biophilia (E.O. Wilson):
genetic predisposition of
humans to prefer and
promote biological diversity.
 Some ConBio History
• European view was anthropocentric
• Nature created by God for humans to use
• Resulted in massive exploitation for
immediate profit/use
 Some ConBio History
• European view was anthropocentric
• Nature created by God for humans to use
• Resulted in massive exploitation for
immediate profit/use

• However, there were some surprisingly

early conservation efforts!.
 Some ConBio History
• Poland 1564
• Reserve established to
protect the last
population of the
aurochs
• Ancestor of domestic
cattle.
 Some ConBio History
• Poland 1564
• Went extinct anyway!
• Breed re-created by
German scientist from
European domestic
cattle.
 Some ConBio History
• Poland 1564
• But reserve did save
wisent (European
bison) from
extinction!.
 American ConBio History
• John Muir
• Founder of Sierra Club
• (US conservation
organization)
• Preservationist ethic: set
aside areas from human
impact and development
• Emphasized value of
wilderness for spiritual and
artistic uses.
 American ConBio History
• Gifford Pinchot
• First head of US Forest Service
in early 1900s
• Resource conservation ethic: use
resources wisely for all society.
 American ConBio History
• Gifford Pinchot
• First head of US Forest Service
in early 1900s
• Resource conservation ethic: use
resources wisely for all society
• Quote: “greatest good of the
greatest number in the long run”
• Legacy is “multiple use”
philosophy for government lands.
 American ConBio History
• Aldo Leopold
• Evolutionary-ecological land
ethic:
• Management should maintain
ecological processes and
ecosystem health
• Humans part of ecosystems
rather than apart from them
• Proper management can
enhance diversity even beyond
that of natural communities.
 American ConBio History
• Aldo Leopold
• Evolutionary-ecological land
ethic:
• Recent “spin” on this is
“reconciliation ecology”
(Rosenzweig 2001)
• Seeks how to modify human-
dominated habitats to allow
humans to share our range
with other species.
 ConBio Today
• Well-established in science and government
 ConBio Today
• Well-established in science and government
• Needs more attention by public

• 2001-2002 was International Biodiversity

Observation Year
 ConBio Today
• Well-established in science and government
• Needs more attention by public

• 2001-2002 was International Biodiversity

Observation Year
• Needs more young and enthusiastic
minds…yours??